All right, all together now . . . bend and stretch and bend and stretch! That was the mantra when my girlfriends and I decided to start exercising and to improve our diet. You see, we discovered that our sedentary habits the foods we had been eating . . . had literally grown on us! A call to action was in order for us to change our ways.

Instead of hiring a trainer, we decided to put together our own exercise/diet program. The plan: To develop toned muscles and lose the lumps. We agreed to work out for an hour three times a week to achieve our individual fitness goals. As for the diet part we kept it simple, by committing to improving our eating habits by including more fresh fruits and vegetables and to seriously cut back on our intake of comfort foods, general junk and sweets.

Have you thought about working out or improving your diet and can’t seem to get started? How about organizing a group of your friends?

Our first self-training session was a combination of nervous chuckles and “time outs” to catch our collective breath. We are still meeting consistently but early on in the process figured out that we overestimated our fitness level and underestimated our ability to resist the lure of salt, sugar and carbohydrates! We are a collective work in progress. Lessons learned: (1) Heed the old warning, “Before beginning any exercise program, consult with your doctor.” (I was so sore after the first workout that I wanted a painkiller!) (2) Don’t laugh while exercising; you’ll need all the air you can get. (3) Before you can tighten those stomach muscles you must first develop them. (4) Never underestimate the power of a three pound weight. (5) There is comfort in steamed broccoli.

We look forward to getting in shape and intend to continue our support of one another, because we are determined to make this effort a part of our lifestyle. We are choosing to live in healthier bodies. It is not going to be easy, but have determined that we are worth it. Think about it. See you next week. Copyright 2005-2011. All rights reserved. The Adams Report.

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